State Duma happy that McCain “doesn’t have the stomach” to influence relationship between Putin and Saudi prince

The State Duma considers the words of McCain that Russia is a gas station and that Saudi Arabia should be thanked for oil prices decline as a "minor mischief."

Franz Klintsevich, the first deputy head of the United Russia party in the State Duma, called the words of U.S. Senator John McCain that the U.S. should be grateful to Saudi Arabia for the fall in oil prices, which hit the Russian economy, as a minor mischief, Joinfo.ua reports with reference to the Russian media.

"The statement of the famous russophobe John McCain, made during his visit to Ukraine is a clear response to the recent meeting of the Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman (the son of the current king) and the Russian President Vladimir Putin, which has been already dubbed as a restart of the Russian-Saudi relations," Klintsevich said.

"It is clear that the senator "doesn't have the stomach" to somehow affect those relationships. That's why he was honored with the hero of the famous Ukrainian joke, who, being unable to get a delicious apple, says to himself: "If I do not eat it, at least I'll nibble it," the deputy said.

It should be recalled that Senator McCain said earlier that Saudi Arabia's decision to lower oil prices had caused the greatest harm to the economy of Russia. "Look, Russia is a gas station masquerading as a country. It's kleptocracy. It's corruption. It's a nation that's really only dependent upon oil and gas for their economy, and so economic sanctions are important. We should be thanking the Saudis who have allowed the value of a barrel of oil to go to the point where it's affecting dramatically Vladimir Putin's economy," the senator said.